Ah, those were the good old days. Brings back a lot of good memories for me. Thanks for posting this thread Warren.
My first component system was purchased for me by my Father as a gift when i was 12 years old. It consisted of a Sony STR-1800 receiver, a Technics SL-23 turntable with an Audio Technica AT-12XE cartridge and a pair of Bose 301's. I think he did this because he knew i was using his system ( on the sly ) and i don't think that he really dug that too much. Giving me my own system got me out of his hair and let me mess with my own "rig".
I had been reading my Father's copies of Audio, Stereo Review, High Fidelity and IAR for at least two years prior to me having my own system. Since he didn't buy them, i used to go out and buy the "Complete Buyer's Guide's" that used to come out frequently. I loved reading about all of the various gear and wanted to learn as much as i could. Not only did i like looking at all of the pictures, i used to sit down and write out my "ultimate stereo system" lists quite frequently using these "buyers guides". thinking back, it's kind of funny how tastes change over time, isn't it ??? : )
Now that i had the basics covered courtesy of my Father, i simply needed to get a bigger "fix". Shortly thereafter, i started buying my own gear. It wasn't too soon after this point that, yes, you guessed it, my Father had to keep yelling at me to turn it down. With me constantly playing my stereo, i was now interfering with his personal listening time. I'm sure that he questioned himself many times over and probably began to regret getting me started on the "pathway to audio nirvana" : )
By the time i was 15, salesmen at the local Musicraft, Pacific Stereo, Playback, Schaack Electronics, etc... all new me by name. I can remember on more than one occassion helping customers in those stores and responding to questions for them that the salesmen simply didn't know the answers to. There were even a few times that salesmen had to come and ask me about models that they didn't carry or know about. As you might have guessed, i spent a lot of time in some of these shops. My Grandmother lived within walking distance of a Musicraft and a Pacific Stereo, so that is where they knew to find me if i had disappeared.
I remember picking out some of the components that went into my Grandfather's system during that time period. Later on, i remember my Dad telling me that the best parts of Gramps' system were the components that i had picked out. Not only was i proud of that, but i knew he was right : ) If it was up to Gramp's, he would have stuck with his quadraphonic Pioneer receiver and Pioneer Reverb unit feeding the rears. YUCK !!!!
As such, some things never change. I still love to help by answering questions and like it "loud" ( most of the time ). One thing has changed though. Rather than my Dad buying me gear, i'm now returning the favour that he did for me. I've slowly been working on upgrading his system over the last few years for him and it's coming along slowly. I've got most of the gear that i want to set him up with, it's just a matter of getting it over there and dialing it all in.
There is one thing though. At least now he can listen when he wants to without me trying to compete in the next room : ) Sean
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